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MySpace Claims It Blocked 90,000 Sex Offenders
Despite being thought as a haven for predators, it seems that MySpace is making headway in keeping its users safe. The social networking site says it has blocked the memberships of over 90,000 sex offenders in the past two years. The list of names is being turned over to the Connecticut Attorney General to investigate any improper contacts by the criminals.Using software called Sentinel SAFE, MySpace compared its membership listings to the National Sex Offender Registry to find and ban the pervs. Under the KIDS act of 2007, offenders are required to register their e-mail addresses and screennames to keep them off social networks, and SAFE checks names, birthdates, and photos among 120 ID points for any matches.
A private investigator hired by a Hong Kong company being sued by MySpace has claimed to have found thousands of sex offenders with active profiles, but the site dismissed the report as part of the legal battle. 49 state attorneys generals collaborated on a report that said threats to children through sites like MySpace and Facebook is overblown. We certainly hope that's the case. [From: TechCrunch]
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Comments
43
Subscribe to commentswakoFeb 3rd 2009 3:30PM
in other news, myspace found a 90,000 membership increase the day after the ban
PanamaDreadFeb 5th 2009 1:24PM
If you want to stay in touch with family and friends you can do it through email and your service provider. Why do people feel the need to put on display their puny lives for the world to come in and look at. Does it make you feel more like a star or something? Its a garbage waste land of human life on display for all to see. If axe murderers and rapists and con artists can see whats important to you, all displayed on My Space, then if they want it, it is fair game. Just send your snapshots and family life BS diectly to your intended audience and leave the rest of the world out of it. So sad trying to hustle attention on My Space.
captain 70Feb 3rd 2009 5:52PM
thats good you catch those sex offenders, but you can't keep under age kids from getting on my space when you can do that your doing something
ValerieFeb 5th 2009 10:36AM
Interesting analysis. Personally I think it's about time parents started being parents and take a more active role in their children's lives. It is not the responsibility of anyone else. On a second note as well, but the same concept. It's the same with the Television, if it is considered inappropriate for people under a certain age, then it's the parents responsibility to govern it. I'm completely fed up with my personal life being governed by what affects children. I don't have any that live in my house. So why should I have to worry about it? When I have my niece's and nephews over, then I conduct myself accordingly. Which brings up another point, I am a smoker and ave smoked for nearly 40 years, but even in my own home when there is someone under the age of 21, I have a certain room that I smoke in because I believe they have a right to not be around it (even if their parents don't abserve this rule at their homes). When I am at home and there is no one here but me, I shuld be allowed to do whatever I want, when I want and where I want. It's a complete load of crap (a respectful metaphor on this site) that too many people put the blame in too many areas other than where it should be. I have my own MySpace Page, I'm on Facebook, I'm signed up with Classmates.com as well as my old high school alumni site. I enjoy staying in touch with people I know, hooking up with those I've lost contact with over the years. It's easier, faster and cheaper than the old US Postal system and a whole lot more fun. Everybody just needs to get with the times and be responsible human beings.
Mike P.Feb 5th 2009 1:08PM
Valerie, I couldn't agree with you more. Computers all come with parental controls and just like the "V-chip" in televisions, it is the responsibility of the parent to set limits for their children, not the provider. Too many people in this country blame others for their situations instead of taking responsibility for their own actions.
Contrary to what Hillary believes, it does NOT take a village to raise a child, it takes responsible parents to protect their children FROM the village idiots.
HeatherFeb 4th 2009 8:57PM
Well this certainly won't stop people from creating a new e-mail address with a fake name (like most free e-mail servers allow) and putting up a "fake" profile with someone else's pictures. It's called taking responsibility as a parent and watching what your kids do on their internet and if that isn't a possibility, then implementing a software program on the computer to track what your child does.
SHERRYFeb 5th 2009 5:02PM
Remember, we aren't allowed to discipline our kids anymore the government took that away from us. We can't do anything incorrect and the school makes sure they know the kids know this so they can call the hotline and be taken away. You are crying the parents are responsible when the phycologists say we shouldn't reprimand our kids. Spare the rod, raise a stinking brat who thinks everything should be thier way, so they can get a gun and shoot innocent kids in high school. Until parents rights are given back, this is the crap you have to put up with. I am not talking abuse either!
RomFeb 4th 2009 8:34PM
I would believe 9,000 before 90,000. Because they're a haven for more than just pervs, they're trying to make themselves sound good to the public. They should be shut down.
wowshamFeb 4th 2009 8:56PM
where is the proof, a claim is not good enough when there people at risk. They should have done something along these lines from the very start. but we cant change what happened in the past but still.
LeeFeb 5th 2009 6:29AM
Tojo,
Your results from the FBI is correct. And no, more than 3.5% is black, and the fact blacks contribute less than 1/10 of 1% to the gross national product is simple, we work, they don't!!!
300Feb 5th 2009 6:50AM
Funny how they can claim to track a sex offender by the e-mail, but they cannot verify a 12 yr old that claims to be 21. Parents of kids that get in trouble on these sites should be charged with negligence for not monitoring their child's activities, and sex offenders of anyone should be executed upon conviction
EmmaFeb 5th 2009 6:56AM
Sure, and all sex offenders are honest enough to report they have an email address and My Space account. Whatvever. My Space, the police, the FBI can't keep every kid safe. Um, that happens to be a PARENTS job, even when the kids are older. Know what your kids are doing, who they are doing it with and where they are. Keep your own kid safe. Everybody whines about taxes but damn don't you know all these extra FBI jobs cost money? They need them to keep the kids safe ya know. BECAUSE MANY PARENTS DONT!
tojoFeb 5th 2009 8:31AM
90,000? 10,000 maybe!! God old "Corporate American" bullsh*t, brought to you the Bush and Cheney school of business.
BonnieFeb 5th 2009 8:37AM
There is no way MySpace should be shut down. It's a wonderful site!! If it weren't for MySpace, I wouldn't be able to keep in such close contact with my daughter and her family in Colorado (all the recent pictures of the children especially), my nieces and nefews in other states, friends I haven't seen since high school. Don't blame the site for the teens problems. Blame the parents for letting the teens have full access to the internet.
AOL has a wonderful choice for parents...set controls so the kids can't go to sites you don't want them to go to.
MySpace is awesome. You should try it.
Sammy GFeb 5th 2009 1:25PM
Have you ever heard of the US mail, e-mail, ma bell? My space is more dangerous, than it is good. It is amazing that people post so much personal stuff on there. The funniest one is, they will actually give the city they are in, and list where they work. These sites should be banned in the US and people should get back to basics. Pal I believe it could be a good thing for the right people. But, the internet is wide open for danger. And just like anything else is gets abused by bad people. These young kids actually shop for their next boy or girlfriend on there. ???? And this is OK????? I warned my son of this, he ignored my advise. Met a girl. She was a physcopath. Thats why she was shopping online for her next boyfriend, because anyone who knew her in her city, knew this about her. Bad bad bad
alanFeb 5th 2009 8:37AM
i never trust statistic's when it come's to sex crimes.a girl has to get get parental consent at 16 but theres never a age limit lisited for men.in the state of mich. you can be budted for csc{crimanial sexual conduct } by stumbling out of a bar and draining the lizard on the dumpster.i bet there are a ton of guys who are now guilty.
chance's are the majority of myspace's "sex offender's"were i7 year old guy's going at it with daddy's 15 year old precious little angel..and whats the age differance between you and yours
PJFeb 5th 2009 9:00AM
Myspace is NOT awesome. It sucks and does not even allow script programming like at least Yahoo does, and it is still a dangerous haven for sex predators. Also be aware that this article states that Myspace CLAIMS to have stopped 90,000 offenders, which I hop eis true, but seriously doubt it. Myspace is a corrupt right wing owned site owned by a NON-American multi-billionaire Rupert Murdoch who in the past could have cared less about people and children's safety on his site. This is the same guy that owns FOXNEWS and other major media outlets. Myspace is truly a tool of the devil of today's generation, and all types of crimes are committed on that site. It is not just limited to sex offenders. Over 90% of cybercrimes in the news come from that one site alone. The site is not using. AOL is safer that Myspace. At least AOL does a LIVE PERSONEL check before an account is created. People can lie in registrations and Myspace does not have a live requistration via phone requirement to register to reallly secure the site.
mark krolFeb 5th 2009 12:29PM
LOL aol does a live personal check?? who are you kidding??
Most people that *I* know on aol used a fake checking account and name to open their account...You're a tool....
Timothy4teesFeb 5th 2009 9:12AM
Hey Lee and Tojo
you two goof balls really need to grow the hell up
ShannonFeb 5th 2009 9:15AM
I reported a person who is currently being charged with Possession and distribution of child pornography to myspace but Myspace made me jump through so many hurdles it was ridiculous. I went so far as giving them the direct link to the criminal docket where the charges are and the investigating police units phone number yet he is still on myspace. When people try to do the right thing and are ignored and made to feel like it is all pointless that makes people stop getting involved.
When someone goes out of the way to inform others of a predator someone should listen and investigate the situation. The guy is still in jail on $300,000 bond with the bond review officer noting "You are a threat to yourself and society so bond will remain at $300k". I think that is pretty darn serious, but Myspace didn't bother to do anything about this guy.